While mowing the back yard today, I was impressed with the vibrant color all around the yard.
green
yellow
white
pink
purple
blue
It’s a good thing to stop long enough to take in the color of nature all around you. It’s breathtaking.
~~Rhonda
It was a beautiful day. Low 70s and sunny, a little breeze.
We enjoyed working in the yard. I mowed the front lawn while waiting for DH to get back from work. When he got home we worked on a few projects in the front yard.
One project was removing the irises and daylilies from this bed because the trees have grown enough to make it too shady for them. Some went to a friend, some were set aside for the garden club’s plant sale next week, and a few were planted along the west fence.
We brought hostas from another bed under a redbud tree that is beginning to die back. That bed is becoming too sunny for the shade loving hostas.
This hosta, Liberty, is striking from a distance. The color is beautiful. We’ve had three summers of drought and now a spring with lots of rain. Perhaps the hostas are going to perk up.
One of my favorite dwarf irises, ‘Irish Chant,’ looks particularly pretty today.
This patch of Sweet William is under the redbud tree by the garage. Very pretty this year!
It was great to spend some time working in the yard. I’m hoping for nice weather again tomorrow. I’ll be able to mow the back yard and pull more weeds.
~~Rhonda
I and my friend Tricia have both decided to do Amandajean’s quilt along. We’re both doing two tops. This is the first block for my second top.
I had planned to use Christmas fabrics. While looking through the stash, I found the white snowflake print and the blue one and decided to use those instead. I like the contrast.
~~Rhonda
I finished putting the blocks together.
I’ll rummage the attic stash and see if there is something I can use for the borders.
~~Rhonda
I’ve decided to put together two quilt tops following Amandajean’s quilt along. I finished the first block last night.
It’s a star quilt made up of 13 different star block patterns and set with 12 other blocks. I’m making this one in palest pinks, yellows, and blues. I’m want to redecorate the guest room in shabby chic / cottage style and plan to use this quilt in there.
The second top will use Christmas fabrics (big surprise I have a ton of those!). DH was going to bring that box down from the attic, but was in a hurry this AM. I may have to wrangle it down myself…or go up and get the few pieces I need for today.
I went to the attic yesterday to peruse my fabric stash in prep for Amandajean’s quilt along. Found quite a few boxes marked “2007 – fabric to sort.” Last year in January, I worked through a lot of stuff in the attic, including fabric. At least it was all in one place. LOL While looking through box after box, I came across one with unfinished quilt projects in it, including one small pieced top that is so garish I may never take a picture of it. But there were enough finished quilt blocks to make at least four quilt tops. I must have made these 15-20 years ago, before we moved into our current home.
Nine patches – 32 green and 30 pink.
And Jacob’s Ladder.
I’m putting Jacob’s Ladder together today, but need to decide what kind of border to put on it before it will be finished.
Sewing is OK while the weather is chilly, but tomorrow I’m headed outside to work in the yard. It’s supposed to be 70 and sunny. A welcome change!
~~Rhonda
It’s spring at our house. Really spring. Deep green, deep grass spring. Monday the ground was too wet from previous rains to mow, but I mowed the yard on Tuesday for the first mower outing of the season. DH has Wednesdays off and we spent a lot of time out in the yard that day, doing those spring maintenance sorts of jobs…pulling henbit, putting down mulch, trimming shrubs, etc. A fun day. Winds were blowing at 30+ mph, but that didn’t stop us. The temps were in the low 70s and it felt great outside.
The early daffodils are finished, but the mid-season and later ones are still beautiful.
We have a friend with a tree trimming business and he gives us wood chips for the gardens. A wonderful gift.
These lovely Poet’s daffodils came from DH’s family farm.
The Honesty just opened yesterday. Soon the tops of the plants will be covered with beautiful purple blossoms. They spread easily and come up all over the yard. They provide easy and beautiful drifts of color in lots of areas of the yard this time of year.
After working in the yard, we picked DD#3 up from school. On the way home, we made an impromptu visit to our friend Laurie’s house. Her granddaughter was there and asked to fly kites. They had a wonderful time!
When we had to leave, DD said, “I’d forgotten how much fun it was to fly kites.”
I love this time of year…all those beautiful flowers.
DH had an all day meeting on Thursday, so was able to come home much earlier than usual. We worked in the yard until dark. We cleaned the raised beds in the veggie garden and planted five kinds of lettuce, herbs, green beans, sugar snap peas, yellow squash and three tomato plants.
I am so looking forward to that first fresh-from-the-garden salad.
While we worked, we had an overseer. Zilli was totally intrigued by all the weed pulling and dirt digging.
After the veggie garden was in order, DH and DD took a bike ride, while I walked around the yard and took more pictures.
The redbud blossoms opened yesterday, April 17.
This bench is the perfect spot to sit on a spring afternoon or evening. It offers a view across the northeast part of the front yard. Right now, it’s the daffodils. In a month it will be the irises, and a month later the daylilies. A beautiful view.
Zak caught the last of the evening sunshine on the sidewalk.
Spring. Love it. ~~Rhonda
This inspirational couple, members of our church, are celebrating Moore’s 100th birthday and Dorothy’s 99th birthday. They are looking forward to celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary this year. Devoted to one another and to their God, they are an exemplary couple for all of us to look up to.
Congratulations, Moore and Dorothy!
~~Rhonda 🙂
The spring flowers are popping out all over the yard.
The yellow, white, and lavender crocus are done blooming, but the large purple ones are still in full bloom.
The Tete-a-Tete daffodils are the first to bloom in the yard and are still going strong. These minis are only 5-6″ tall.
Happy enjoys the warmer sunshine these days. The flower bed by the kitchen door must have suited her just fine this particular day. Doesn’t she look comfy among the budding daffs?
How can yellow be that yellow? Simply glorious.
I love the Siberian Squill. Such a gorgeous shade of blue. These tiny flowers were in the yard when we bought the house in 1994.
We planted the Glory of the Snow several years ago and it is slowly spreading around the yard outside the kitchen door.
The lilacs are looking great. Can’t wait to smell them!
I don’t know the variety of daffodil this is, but it is beautiful and we have a LOT of them around the yard.
Another flower that smells wonderful. The Star Magnolia is just bursting into full bloom. We forced some of these blossoms several weeks ago and they were small and had no scent at all. A shame, because the scent is heady and not to be missed.
Oreo walks the fence around my fenced garden. Take a look at that chip pile! Our friendly neighborhood tree trimmer keeps us well supplied.
The daffodils are blooming in every corner of the yard.
It will just get better and better from now on. Lots more flowers to come! 🙂 ~~Rhonda
DH always takes requests when making pancakes. This is a bunny and Easter eggs…
Just a bunny…
I think the dyes are as pretty as the colored eggs.
Easter eggs today…deviled eggs tomorrow.
Did I mention I like Snickers eggs? My favorite.
~~Rhonda 🙂
When DD and I walked the back yard yesterday, we saw signs of spring everywhere.
The Star of Bethlehem is putting up it’s bright green leaves. We always called this “Easter grass” when I was young. The clumps green up long before the actual grass does and looks perfect for nestling Easter eggs.
The columbine wastes no time in spring. As soon as the weather begins to change, even a little bit, it starts to green and grow.
Bush Honeysuckle is an introduced species that is a pain to control. But it’s one of the first things to bud in spring. The green is welcome, if the shrub is not.
The daffodils are stretching up and will be blooming in a few days, I’m sure.
The moss on the Southern Oak is greening.
And the crocus are blooming!
With all the rain we are getting today and expecting tonight, there will be no working in the yard tomorrow.
~~Rhonda